Devotion

Devotion is the state of being dedicated, consecrated, or solemnly set apart for a particular purpose; a solemn attention to the Supreme Being in worship; a yielding of the heart and affections to God, with reverence, faith and piety, in religious duties, particularly in prayer and meditation; devoutness; external worship; acts of religion; performance of religious duties; prayer to the Supreme Being. ——Webster’s American Dictionary
  The 21st Century definition of devotion has grown meager: ardent, often selfless affection and dedication, as to a person; religious ardor or zeal; piety; a feeling of strong love or loyalty; the quality of being devoted.American Heritage Dictionary
  Synonyms for devotion include love, dedication, fidelity, faithfulness, belief, trust in, and loyalty to God, reverence and adoration.—Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary


“You can have no Christ consciousness without joy, which is the chief expression of devotion.”—Edna Lister


  Your devotion is written in the profile of vows you have made and paid. Devotion, with Fidelity and Obedience, form the fourth lesser trinity of Via Christa Degrees, whose keynote is Gratitude.






Edna Lister on Devotion

The process of sublimation is devotional surrender, a process of making the self perfect.—Edna Lister, The Lord’s Prayer, September 26, 1934.


The soul ascends through steadfast devotion to Light.—Edna Lister, March 30, 1935.


Devotion is the act of devoting yourself to divinity in loyalty and prayer. Devotion is an act of worship, your surrender of self to Light, to Life, and to Power.—Edna Lister, Devotion, What Is It? May 24, 1935.


Full devotion to God and His agents under the Master shall increase your strength.—Edna Lister, September 6, 1938.


Be prepared in your mind and heart to meet all tests with deep devotion and consecration unto the Father and the Master. Do this in remembrance of our Lord.—Edna Lister, September 8, 1938.


A Master devotes his or her life to God’s service, and sacrificial surrender of self.—Edna Lister, September 29, 1938.


The Master will gather into his Chosen and Elect ones all who are found worthy after due weighing in the balance scales of God. No one of true desire will be left out, but only the Light of God may determine whether worthy or unworthy. No one shall be gathered in except under high loyalty, sincerity, devotion and perfect desire to be high in selflessness and sacrifice. This is a law and it may not be set aside. Endure therefore in love and sacrifice self always. Stand ready to come higher. Allow no personal idea of what God desires to enter. Keep your mind clear and heart clean of all self and personal opinions of right and wrong.—Edna Lister, October 12, 1938.


Light lifts you into high places. Joy makes you love life and living. Surrender bridges all dark abysses. Devotion makes the path plain before you. Love heals all mortal ills. Wisdom leads you upward into the green pastures. Faithfulness makes everything possible.—Edna Lister, October 28, 1938.


Great is the reward for full faithfulness in all devotion, and in that devotion no critical thought or action of speech.—Edna Lister, November 6, 1938.


Devotion holds you facing the Light.—Edna Lister, November 14, 1938.


Be open in love and devotion expressed through praise.—Edna Lister, December 28, 1938.


Your vibration of devotion sets the pace for your lifting.—Edna Lister, January 1, 1939.


Your soul’s devotion must grow and keep pace with the perfection of your desire to conquer and climb the sunlit way back into the Father’s heart of flame and fire.—Edna Lister, January 1, 1939.


A great reward is due for service of devotion and faithfulness on earth. You shall receive it with compounded interest for further obedience to all laws.—Edna Lister, January 2, 1939.


Surrender the "little self" to be lifted into soul in devotion, which is sweet incense unto God.—Edna Lister, October 12, 1939.


Love’s keynote is a deep, abiding devotion to the one who is loved.—Edna Lister, Unquenchable Love, Christmas 1939.


When you are faithful and loyal in our devotion to God, only good can come of your efforts.—Edna Lister, February 10, 1942.


Devotion stands under the Light always.—Edna Lister, The Key to Understanding, April 12, 1942.


Have faith in reaching your goal and enough devotion to win it.—Edna Lister, May 14, 1942.


To hold wisdom fast and to receive more, you must be constant in devotion, praise and in the joy of prayer.—Edna Lister, July 29, 1942.


Lukewarmness does not do the "greater works," but devotion, unmarred by anything of self. Seek, therefore, to sacrifice all self.—Edna Lister, November 5, 1942.


Seek greater devotion to love, honor, faith and compassion.—Edna Lister, March 13, 1944.


Devotion is constant, mindful service.—Edna Lister, May 13, 1946.


You can restrain evil’s agents through prayer, devotion, love and release of Light to earth. All it takes is effort and continually looking up in consciousness.—Edna Lister, May 4, 1947.


Devotion to details opens the all-seeing eye of the soul.—Edna Lister, July 2, 1947.


The primary principles underlying ascension are desire for the Father of Wisdom, devotion to the Mother of Love and faith in the Son of all Power. Then you live in the upper grades, according to Light, color, tone, number and form, the spoken Word.—Edna Lister, November 13, 1947.


Give God your love and your heart’s devotion. Give to God first.—Edna Lister, July 2, 1949.


Anything that detracts from devotion to Christ or denudes him of the mysteries is the work of subtle intellectual evil.—Edna Lister, December 5, 1949.


The need for quality of devotion and for effort in prayer, praise and joy waxes greater day by day. Be in love with love. Be in joy with the love of God. Be faithful and pray without ceasing and in no way be lax or lukewarm. Do not let another’s lack of self-discipline offend you or cause you to let go of your high place.—Edna Lister, February 16, 1950.


Your devotion must be great in both quality and quantity. You apply devotion as praise before the thrones above, and as love for your fellow man below, which draws to you the blessing of joy.—Edna Lister, Pentecost, the Way of Ascension, May 7, 1950.


The intellectual and devotional approaches to God are equally important.—Edna Lister, September 28, 1950.


Complete devotion to God creates the second marriage of the Lamb: All rewards are added as Oversoul descends to become part of you; this is the only way you can become Christed.—Edna Lister, September 28, 1950.


Devotion is the swiftest way to repay God for all He gives you.—Edna Lister, October 3, 1950.


Your unconquerable faith tells those who doubt that they can partake of your faith because it is real. This is the unquestioning devotional approach.—Edna Lister, Prove Me Now, October 28, 1951.


Blind faith is out, but you must have blind devotion to God.—Edna Lister, November 19, 1951.


Truth teachers work to form a balance between the intellectual approach, namely Wisdom, which builds the form under divine principle, and the devotional approach of Love, which nourishes and sustains that which Wisdom puts into form. The intellectual approach worships God as principle, Wisdom and Love. The devotional approach worships God as personality, Father and Mother.—Edna Lister, March 31, 1952.


When priests of a temple use the devotional substance of their people to gain more power, the pillars of the temple will fall, because their greed for worldly power pulls them down.—Edna Lister, September 14, 1952.


A balanced faith in and love of God bestows the gift of balanced love on earth and in heaven. You create an imbalance, the danger of a too earthy love life when you do not give your devotion and faith to God first; the little self dictates with smothering, selfish love.—Edna Lister, The Mantle of Messiahship, October 12, 1952.


As long as one soul kneels in devotion, God uses that soul’s devotion to clean up darkness.—Edna Lister, October 30, 1952.


Successful prayer is, first, a devotional attitude toward principle and Power greater than self.—Edna Lister, May 29, 1953.


Joyous devotion to God is the motive power of all fulfillment. You can have no Christ consciousness without joy, which is the chief expression of devotion.—Edna Lister, June 1, 1953.


When you lift your fear of assuming too much responsibility or that you will fail God, your devotion will be an act, not a process.—Edna Lister, May 24, 1954.


Most congregations are not taught to approach worship with devotion. This drains the Power from the message, and everyone loses.—Edna Lister, July 11, 1954.


Prayer ignites the flame of devotion in your heart.—Edna Lister, Jesus, the Lawyer, November 28, 1954.


The height of your devotion and vows of consecration are the only limit to the Power released for your illumination.—Edna Lister, May 15, 1955.


Teach law with great consecration and devotion and love, so that you may never mislead another.—Edna Lister, July 23, 1955.


You cannot be complete unless you devote yourself to something greater than self.—Edna Lister, Religious Slavery or Freedom? November 27, 1955.


Devotional love’s first thought is always of God.—Edna Lister, Nourishing Love, May 13, 1956.


Honor and loyalty are the first requisites in devotion to God.—Edna Lister, Your Devotion to God, December 16, 1956.


Continuous fervent devotion conquers time and space to send your thoughts and prayers upward, straight to God's throne.—Edna Lister, October 15, 1957.


A state of grace is a state of devotional prayer in which you see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil, which represents the Christed way of daily living. Prayers must rise through devotion and love of God.—Edna Lister, January 13, 1958.


Opinions and prejudices are always related to emotion, react on the glands and let the “little self” in to cause illness. Proper deep breathing and devotion to God in prayer will bring bring an atrophied pineal body and thymus gland to life again after atrophy. Thus, you receive more vitality, illumination and healing.—Edna Lister, February 13, 1958.


A mediator lives by devotion and consecration to God, conquers the self, and so finally sees and hears spiritually.—Edna Lister, April 20, 1958.


You have found the Via Christa, yet you need true devotion and love for God the Source, actual love of obedience and a joyous heart, with a rejoicing soul to follow the rest of the way.—Edna Lister, May 2, 1958.


You cannot be a Mystic without devotion to God.—Edna Lister, May 8, 1958.


When your devotion reaches its highest point of expression, you truly hunger and thirst for God.—Edna Lister, As I See the World, June 15, 1958.


Fifteen lesser mysteries deal with devotion to God as Personality. They are covered in the Beatitudes and the six laws of absolute necessity: 1) Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.—Matthew 6:33. 2) Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him.—Matthew 5:25. 3) Abstain from all appearance of evil—1 Thessalonians 5:22. 4) What is that to thee? Follow thou me.—John 21:22. 5) I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.—John 12:32. 6) Declare everything good and invoke Light: This is Good! Let there be Light!—Genesis 1).—Edna Lister, November 14, 1958.


A state of grace is a state of complete surrender and devotion to the God Supreme.—Edna Lister, May 2, 1959.


Spiritual vision and hearing depend upon the height, breadth and depth of devotion.—Edna Lister, The Pioneering Mystic, May 5, 1959.


Acceptance of law, surrender to law, then complete devotion to both—this is worship of the One God.—Edna Lister, May 15, 1959.


Devotion rides higher in those who love God. The depth and height of the love of God that you express depends on the fullness of your faith and devotion.—Edna Lister, October 25, 1959.


Devotion is appreciation of the Infinite Eternal, the greatness and goodness of the One, and absolute reliance upon principle always.—Edna Lister, The 33 Degrees of Soul Conquering, October 27, 1959.


True devotion is a primary interest in God.—Edna Lister, Behold, I Am With You Always, November 1, 1959.


Faith is your only sure approach to God, the Source. You may make this approach two ways, intellectual or devotional. The intellectual approach views God as pure principle. The devotional approach worships God as personality. Both methods are necessary.—Edna Lister, Follow Me, November 29, 1959.


A prayer of devotion is the essence of two things, surrender and forgiveness.—Edna Lister, What Is a Miracle? May 24, 1960.


Under the law of oneness and devotion, you come to earth to give, not to get.—Edna Lister, December 11, 1960.


You may not hold out bits of your self when you surrender, for you must not be divided in your devotion to God.—Edna Lister, October 5, 1961.


Your devotion must express your appreciation and love of God in praise and song. Devotion is a worshipful attitude of love that must give something to the loved one. Faith builds the stairway to God, but steadfastness and devotion are the right and left underpinnings, the risers.—Edna Lister, This One Thing I Do, November 26, 1961.


You ascend just as far as your surrender, obedience and devotion take you. All your earthly actions must be as high as your acts of devotion. God uses the substance of your devotion and surrender.—Edna Lister, February 27, 1963.


When you reach selfless devotion to God, you become that point of love and devotion of God as you, the place of miracles.—Edna Lister, April 4, 1963.


It isn’t enough just to live by principle and do good; it takes burning desire, and devotion to God. Without devotion you have no glory in your soul. Obedience to principle makes you feel good, holy, noble, but devotion to the Father adds love and compassion.—Edna Lister, July 7, 1963.


The depth of your devotion and surrender determines the grade of wisdom given to you.—Edna Lister, December 12, 1963.


You must be steadfast in your devotion.—Edna Lister, July 19, 1963.


You must work on a high keynote of devotion, so that the little self is serving the Oversoul selflessly always. Only by devotion can we wash the little self clean, so that every moment of its life it is bowing its knees to God and not to itself because of blame for another, or anything that hinders, limits or enslaves the Oversoul.—Edna Lister, February 9, 1964.


When you forget the law of complete surrendered devotion to be the servant of the Power, you do not accept instantly—and the proof is when it sends you farther into self.—Edna Lister, September 20, 1964.


Wait upon the Lord in the high place, making yourself a chalice of perfection. The Power is perfect and requires a perfect devotion to make it reveal the secrets of the Almighty in all their beauty and glory.—Edna Lister, October 15, 1964.


Your physical is the externalization of you as the fourfold man — your thoughts, your prayers, your devotions and what you do with your emotional life. You are the sum total of your fourfold life.—Edna Lister, November 27, 1964.


You express your loyalty to the Master and to our Father in your devotion.—Edna Lister, December 17, 1964.


You must have devotion to a Supreme Being of Light to whom you may go in confidence. You remain insecure if you do not acknowledge the Source Overall.—Edna Lister, What Is Nonresistance? May 23, 1965.


You cannot release Power while your consciousness is centered on earth, but only under prayers of devotion.—Edna Lister, April 25, 1966.


Your love and devotion for God, and desire to become as He is, without wavering, exalts your soul. So many cut their own vibration and must reestablish it, consuming time and the Power that should bring their desires to pass.—Edna Lister, January 22, 1967.


Hold your self in devotion, in consecration and above all, be ready to speak the Word to release Light for the next step in ascension for the world.—Edna Lister, February 11, 1968.


God can use anyone who is devoted.—Edna Lister, Conversion and Mysticism, June 9, 1968.


Devote your time to releasing of Light and waiting upon the Lord in devotion.—Edna Lister, June 24, 1968.


True prayer is an attitude of devotion and an expression of praise to God. It is a form of worship.—Edna Lister, May 8, 1969.


"In everything, give thanks" describes an act of devotion. Without devotion or thanks, you are as empty as a shell without a nut.—Edna Lister, Secret Place of the Most High, November 16, 1969.


Laziness is a lack of devotion.—Edna Lister, December 15, 1969.


You can double your devotion and prayer intensity.—Edna Lister, May 5, 1970.


Love and devotion take you to the Source.—Edna Lister, August 9, 1970.


If you cannot increase your love and devotion, you are not taking advantage of the power the outer world is using. Every statement you make is dedicated to you.—Edna Lister, November 15, 1970.


Your devotion lifts you above the dense vibrations of earth into the realm of Light, which in turn lifts you even higher.—Edna Lister, Stand, Endure and Hold Through Magic Words, November 30, 1970.


How you fare depends on the quality of your worship and devotion.—Edna Lister, November 5, 1970.


God accepts what you give. If you are satisfied with your love and devotion to God, you are missing something. If missing something divinely dissatisfies you, you need to ascend higher in the Light in love and devotion to God. Have you put all that you can into your devotion? Has your love of God and your devotion lifted you higher because you have called on more Light this week than ever before?—Edna Lister, November 22, 1970.


Your devotion must be supreme, not partly or “maybe.”– Edna Lister, April 15, 1971.


Under sacrifice, you grow closer to God in devotion.—Edna Lister, Resurrection from All Darkness, May 9, 1971.

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New Testament on Devotion

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.—Matthew 5:8

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.—Matthew 5:16

Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, nor about your body, what you will wear.—Matthew 6:25

He who is not with Christ is against Christ, and he who does not gather with Christ scatters abroad.—Matthew 12:30

In the life to come, when the Christ sits on the throne of his glory, you who have followed him will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.—Matthew 19:28

Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for Christ’s name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.—Matthew 19:29

Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant, just as the Christ did not come to be served, but to serve.—Matthew 20:27-28

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." This is the first and great commandment.—Matthew 22:37-38

When you are faithful over a few things, God can make you master over many things.—Matthew 25:21

All things are possible to him who believes.—Mark 9:23

The first of all the commandments is: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.—Mark 12:29-31

There is One God, and there is no other but He. And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.—Mark 12:32-33

You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.—Luke 4:8

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. Do this and you will live.—Luke 10:27-28

If you abide in the Christ’s Word, you are his disciples indeed.—John 8:31

The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.—John 10:11

If you love the Christ, keep his commandments.—John 14:15

He who keeps the Christ’s commandments, it is he who loves him.—John 14:21

He who loves the Christ will be loved by his Father, and Christ will love him and manifest himself to him.—John 14:21

If anyone loves the Christ, he will keep his word; and the Father will love him, and They will come to him and make their home with him.—John 14:23

Let all that you do be done with love.—1 Corinthians 16:14

By manifesting the truth, we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience.—2 Corinthians 4:2

Imitate God and walk in love.—Ephesians 5:1-2

Pray without ceasing.—1 Thessalonians 5:17

He who says he abides in Christ ought himself also to walk just as he walked.—1 John 2:6

Whoever keeps Christ’s word, truly the love of God is perfected in him.—1 John 2:5

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Old Testament on Devotion

Every devoted thing is most holy unto the Lord.—Leviticus 27:28.

I will raise Me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in Mine heart and in My mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before Mine Anointed for ever.—1 Samuel 2:35

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Edna Miriam Lister
1884—1971
The original Pioneering Mystic,
Christian Platonist philosopher, American Idealist, Founder, Society of the Universal Living Christ, minister, teacher, author, wife, and mother.


Edna Lister


Etymology of devotion: Latin devotionem, noun of action from devovere, to dedicate by a vow, from de- down, away + vovere to vow, from votum vow. In ancient Latin, it meant the act of consecrating by a vow, also loyalty, fealty, allegiance; in later Latin, it meant devotion to God, piety.


Devotion is a Via Christa Degree.


References

The Compact Edition of The Oxford English Dictionary: 2 volumes. Oxford University Press, 1971.

The Holy Bible. King James Version (KJV).

Webster, Noah. "Devotion," Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language. New York: S. Converse, 1828. This work is in the public domain.


Related Topic

Consecration


Edna Lister Sermons and Lectures on Devotion

Devotion: The Bridge Builder, Edna Lister lecture outline; May 22, 1935

Devotion: What Is It? Edna Lister lecture outline; May 24, 1935

Desire Plus Devotion

Edna Lister lecture outline; September 30, 1936

Your Devotion to God Edna Lister sermon outline; December 16, 1956

Your Devotion to God Edna Lister sermon transcript; December 16, 1956